What Could Decrease My Score Most?

[live4u120]

I've heard putting is what gives you good scores, but I wanted to ask. What does the golf game depend on most? I was gonna say a mix between irons and putting, but I'd like to hear from you guys.

And if it is putting, should I practice that nonstop at home instead of hitting those foam balls that seem to degrade my swing?

[Mrd19abhs]

Short game. Getting close to pin from 100yrds and in.

[ks8829]

Do you keep track of your putts and scrambling during a round? If you track these stats during your round, you find your weakness and work to improve aspect of your game to lower your scores for the next round.

my weakness is getting up and down from around the green. so I have focused on my chipping around the green and have improved my up and down percentage from hours of practice. In summary track your scores and see what need work in your game and focus almost all your attention to improve that part of your game. What is very rewarding is to see the fruits of your hard work. be, patient it takes time and give yourself at time to see the results.

[TinCupTampa]

You can miss the fairway on your tee shot and the green with your approach... but if you can up and down from anywhere inside 50yards... your score will come down... dramatically.

[rebby]

I'll put my vote in for the short game. Mainly because I believe that it's the least incorrect of all the answers.

A good short game can make a bad round so so or a good round great and vice versa. Other aspects of the game don't have that type of regular impact. You can have a day where you miss every fairway but if you're chipping and putting well, you can still go home with a smile on your face. Knock every drive 325 smack dab in the middle of the fairway and chip and putt like crap though and I'd bet that you'd go home pretty upset about your score at the end of the day.

That said, YOUR answer to this question may be different than anybody elses. I played golf with a guy in highschool who had a great short game. He must of averaged about 28 putts a round and got up down better than 70% of the time. Still, he coudln't break 80 to save his life! He'd jack 2-3 balls OB and knock at least 1 or 2 more in the water every round! He coudln't keep the ball in play, if he wasn't OB or wet, he was playing down the wrong fairway. For this guy, the correct answer to this question was; keep the ball in play!

My advise would be to spend some time keeping track of a few statistics during your round to determine exactly what things that you should be working on. Then again, working on your short game is NEVER a bad idea.

[RnR]

You can miss the fairway on your tee shot and the green with your approach... but if you can up and down from anywhere inside 50yards... your score will come down... dramatically.

Well.........

My belief is that a regulation tee shot sets one up psychologically for successful approach play more often than not; but TCT is spot-on about scrambling. I will also add that this skill typically involves far more "creativity" than many typical players are willing to learn or care to exhibit. However, if you have shot-making capability - this is where the pay-off will be: one up, one in!

[ks8829]

Putting, chipping and pitching

[CarlSpackler]

I would say that you have to analyze your game by tracking stats to see where you are leaking the most strokes and practice that. If you tend three putt if you are putting from downtown, then I would practice lag putting. If you consistently chip followed by a two putt, then work on chipping it close. If you find that you are leaking strokes by punching your ball back in play from the rough or woods, I would work on developing a go to club from the tee.

[Rexx]

Nothing wrong with chipping and pitching with real golf balls at home (obv outside) if you're so inclined. Use a 5 gallon bucket (or whatever) as a target.

[The Recreational Golfer]

1. Getting the ball in the fairway off the tee. If this means not using your driver, that's OK
2. Getting greenside chips (fringe to ~3 yards) one-putt close.
3. Being good at short (<6') putts.

[sean_miller]

1. Getting the ball in the fairway off the tee. If this means not using your driver, that's OK

That's how I've shot all my best scores.

I'll also add: 4.) Manage your misses (not missus) - sometimes laying up and taking the highest score out of the equation is the smart play.

[adig]

i think one of the biggest things is understanding your strengths and weaknesses. everyones game is different and what might help one person score lower might be different for someone else. theres always the standard ideas out there but knowing and understanding your game and playing to your strengths is key.

[goblue107501]

I agree with most everyone on the short game. If you normally shoot a 100, you can get down to a 90 just by decreasing your short shots. Turn 3-putts to 2-putts. Get up-and-down once or twice. Make a few 6-10 footers. Get out of the sand in one shot.

I also agree with keeping track of a few stats. Keep track of fairways hit and GIRs and putts. You just need something to quantify what you are doing in each phase of the game. You will be surprised as to how much different the numbers are than what you might think, good and bad.

One thing I will add is to eliminate penalty strokes. Easier said than done, but just think about how many penalties are taking from OB or a hazard. That is just wasting strokes. If you hit 2 balls OB and one in the water, that is 5 shots wasted right there. Aim away from the big trouble and play it safe and smart, the scores will come down.

[sean_miller]

i think one of the biggest things is understanding your strengths and weaknesses. everyones game is different and what might help one person score lower might be different for someone else. theres always the standard ideas out there but knowing and understanding your game and playing to your strengths is key.

I can safely guarantee that, no matter what your handicap is, you would shoot lower scores if you hit more fairways, always were left with putts on the "easy" side of the hole, made more of those putts, and reduced your penalty strokes.

EDIT: In case I sound like goblue's parrot - when I was typing this, his post wasn't there yet.

[i-Guy]

I agree that this depends on what your weaknesses are...I am an 8 handicap and my avg stats for 2009 are as follows:

FIR = 43% (6 Fairways per round)
GIR = 33% (6 Greens per round)
PPR = 30 (putts per round)
U&D; = 37% (up and down)
PS = 3 (avg penalty stroke)

So let’s evaluate my game as follows:

FIR = 43% ...6 fairways a round does not seem bad but see the 3 penalty strokes per round...that primarily comes from off the tee as I either hit it very well or very crappy (and that can be during the same round)...so something I need to work on is being more consistent off the tee...meaning if I could hit 6 fairways but say reduce my avg penalty strokes to 1 per round my score would improve…believe me those stoke & distance penalties are a killer…

GIR = 33% ...6 greens is not bad but it needs to be better and some of it comes from the penalty strokes and the erratic driving as on the avg 8 holes per round I may not be giving myself a very good shot at GIR…however, taking accountability for my game I plan to this year start tracking my GIR more intently so to see how I am missing them (short, long, right or left) and then see if it is a ball striking issue.

PPR & U&D; – I am happy with 30 putts per round and 37% U&D; but want to keep working on this and improve. To me this is an everlasting evolution in my game and as much as I would like to be considered a good ball striker I would much rather be considered a GREAT putter…you can make three bad swings and one GREAT putt and save par…

I hope this helps...

[Cussin hacker]

Half of your golf game is putting. Something I'm not really good at. : (

[bananas]

My best scores have come from putting, but also being able to chip/pitch it close (3-10 ft). Play smarter not harder.

[treebound]

Rebby's high school buddy up above could be me so I'll simply say +1 to keeping track of how you (the OP above) play and where your game needs the most work.

For me I need to work on my driving, and keeping the bal in play after that (see my username ). I've bounced balls off the flagstick countless times from under 50 yards, but I've also got a banana ball slice off the tee which at times could chase a rodeo clown around a barrel. My slice isn't always there, but when it is it is a doozy.

I'm nobody to be giving advice so I'll just say to work on what you need work on, and practice on the rest if that's all you can do.